Save the Date!
We See You 2025 | Tuesday, December 2nd
An over-the-top, multi-church, community-wide event radically celebrating caregivers and advocates in the child welfare space.
We See You 2025 Speakers
Darien Karenbauer
Darien is a former foster youth & transracial adoptee who spent 6 years in the foster care system from ages 10-17. After his adoption at age 17, he became passionate about sharing his story to bring hope to youth in foster care and to activate and empower people to step up to serve vulnerable youth and families. He is most impassioned on trauma- informed care and having well equipped foster and adoptive parents to decrease disruptions as well as increase empathy for biological families.
Outside of sharing his story & wanting to make change in the foster care system, Darien is passionate about being a first responder and a father. When he’s not working as an Emergency Medical Technician on an ambulance, he’s home with his 3-year-old son Leo.
Darien’s hope is for his testimony to breakdown stereotypes for youth in care & those who grew up in the foster care system while also pointing to Jesus for the ultimate healing.
Jennifer Bracken and Jillana Goble
Jennifer and Jillana have been together for 17 years, first meeting in juvenile court when Jillana was fostering Jennifer’s 6-month-old son. Jennifer grew up in Oregon’s foster care system, experiencing 63 placements, and all four of her children have been involved in child welfare. Jillana and her husband, Luke, fostered and adopted Jennifer’s third child and became relative adoptive providers for her fourth. Jennifer has been successfully parenting her youngest for the past nine years and celebrates December 10, 2015, as her sobriety date—her proudest accomplishment.
Jillana and Luke have five children, three of whom joined their family through foster care. Jillana works for Every Child, a partner to Oregon’s Child Welfare system, and is the author of A Love-Stretched Life: Stories on Wrangling Hope, Embracing the Unexpected and Discovering the Meaning of Family, which has given her and Jennifer many opportunities to speak to various audiences all over the county.
Jason Johnson
Jason Johnson is joined us for his fourth We See You event! He supports families and guides leaders in foster care and adoption. Jason is the Director of Church Mobilization and Engagement at Christian Alliance for Orphans, creating resources, coaching leaders, and teaching on church ministry and leadership.
Jason and his wife, Emily, live in Texas with their daughters. He's authored four books: Reframing Foster Care, Everyone Can Do Something, ALL IN Orphan Care, and Effectively Engaging Churches. Find his resources at www.jasonjohnsonblog.com
And welcoming back…
Merry Terri!
Check out our recap from last year’s event!
2024 Event Recap
350 attendees. 150 volunteers. 4,500 giveaways...
An unforgettable night!
Foster, kinship, adoptive parents, social workers, guardians ad Litem, judges and other child welfare professionals joined us on December 3rd for an evening of encouragement, recognition, and joy. These frontline heroes carry impossible stories of brokenness and heartache as they navigate and serve within the child welfare system.
This is an evening to remind them of their “why” and help them continue in the essential work they do for children and families in our city.
We are so grateful to generous church and community partners who made it possible to celebrate everyone in the room.
We See You 2024 Speakers
Annika Marek-Barta
Annika Marek-Barta is a former foster youth that spent 5 years in the foster care system. She was our We See You 2024 as our keynote speaker.
At the age of 26, she was adopted as an adult, displaying the truth that we never outgrow the need to belong. She has volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate in Washington state and works as a graphic designer/photographer. Her heart is to advocate for seats to be added to tables as the lonely are invited into belonging.
Rodney Gray
Rodney Gray is a Military Veteran, Pastor, and Leadership & Team Development Coach. He joined us as emcee for We See You 2024!
With over twenty years of leadership experience, Rodney has been afforded the opportunity to help develop leaders in various industries, such as emergency response, hospitality, education, church ministry, and logistics to name a few. Rodney has a deep passion for inspiring authenticity and helping to unlock the hidden potential in each leader for maximum results.
Rodney and his wife Jacqueline currently live in Northern California.
Kristen Thomas
Kristen is a former foster and now adoptive single mom who also aged out of the foster care system herself as a teen. She is crossing the finish line in graduating with her masters’ s and obtaining licensure as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor. While Kristen has recently closed her foster home to pursue higher education, her doors have remained open to other aged out foster youth as they transition into programs and or stability.
Kristen and her adoptive daughter Elise have been featured in a PBS Special with Lidia Bastianich which highlights Kristen's overcoming incredible odds and adversity. In 2008, Singer and Songwriter Matthew West wrote the song "The Story of Your Life" to honor the testimony of Kristen following Jesus in the midst of aging out of foster care. Above all, Kristen is loving being a mom and pursuing her passions of seeing systems and communities transformed in their care of vulnerable populations.
‘We See You’ is an opportunity for the CHURCH & Community to come together in support of the FOSTER care COMMUNITY in the greater CHARLOTTE area!
We are grateful for our 2024 We See You Partner Churches and Organizations:
We are so excited to celebrate all the work these individuals do every day for the vulnerable children and families in our city and to let them know that…
WE SEE YOU!
Check out the highlight videos below from past events.
